This study explores the screen-time behavior of Chinese parents and the effects on their children's screen viewing time, cognitive skills and social development. Participants were 558 preschool children and their parents in Guangdong, China. Results indicated that the link between parents' screen preference and their children's screen viewing time was mediated by parental screen viewing time and their children's screen preference. Specifically, computer-based screen time of Chinese children was strongly affected by their mothers and less so by fathers. Furthermore, parental restrictions on TV viewing and computer use were positively associated with their children's cognitive and social development. As for content recommendations, cartoons and generic programming did not contribute to the development of social and cognitive skills in children, but educational programs and well-defined, kid-friendly content did. Parents who restrict their children's computer viewing time support the development of improved social skills in children, but these efforts are undermined when children watch cartoons or view non-educational content.